


Defeat of Fear

by wolfiefics



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends: Jedi Apprentice Series - Jude Watson & Dave Wolverton, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-23
Updated: 2019-10-23
Packaged: 2020-12-31 17:16:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21149333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wolfiefics/pseuds/wolfiefics
Summary: The song is "Skellig" by Loreena McKennitt from her album,Book of Secrets, inspired by Thomas Cahill's bookHow the Irish Saved Civilization.





	Defeat of Fear

**Author's Note:**

> The song is "Skellig" by Loreena McKennitt from her album, Book of Secrets, inspired by Thomas Cahill's book How the Irish Saved Civilization.

Seat ye by my side,  
for the night is very long.  
There's something I must tell,  
before I pass along.

"Do we have to go, Master?" whined Obi-Wan, wrapping his robe tightly around him in teenage peevishness.

Qui-Gon Jinn gave the boy a quelling glance. "Master Hage rarely comes to Coruscant, and no one is allowed to visit him at his retreat. I have never had the pleasure of hearing the master's teachings, and could benefit from them." Obi-Wan wrinkled his nose in distaste. "You definitely will. Now march."

Obi-Wan Kenobi grimaced but led the way to the small lecture hall where the mysterious Jedi master would hold one lecture. Then he would retire to his retreat to emerge again when he felt like it. The unpredictability of the old master was legendary among the masters' circles, and was like a myth to the younger knights, padawans and initiates.

Obi-Wan had never heard of the old master and had absolutely no interest whatsoever in going, but if Qui-Gon said march, Obi-Wan marched.

The lecture hall was packed, mostly with masters, with a few scattered intiates and sulking padawan learners. Obi-Wan was relieved he wasn't the only one forced into this.

Qui-Gon sat Obi-Wan down next to another padawan and his master. "Qui-Gon, haven't seen you in sometime. Is this your new padawan?" The master smiled at the young boy at Qui-Gon's side, who smiled tentatively in return.

"Yes, this is Obi-Wan Kenobi. We've been together about a year now. Obi-Wan," introduced Qui-Gon, "this is Master Chan-Ji Tye and his padawan learner of eight years, I believe, Oolan Unarii." Obi-Wan smiled at the older padawan nervously.

"Isn't this exciting?" asked Oolan of the younger padawan. "Master Hage hasn't come to the Temple from his retreat in fifty years. I wonder what he's going to say!"

Obi-Wan pretended interest. "Why does he stay away so long?"

Chan-Ji looked around the room. "Master Hage retired himself, saying that he would tutor when needed and do some lectures when he felt like it."

Qui-Gon chuckled. "He's over 1200 years old so I would think he has that right."

"Is he a he?" asked Chan-Ji. "After all, Scorps don't really have a gender, do they?"

"Gender roles," admitted Qui-Gon.

Obi-Wan's attention was momentarily hung on the topic. "You mean, he is really an it?"

Chan-Ji and Qui-Gon looked at each other in amusement. "Not everyone, Padawan, sees the need for gender roles. Scorps lay eggs, but their gender means nothing. They have genders, but often it is determined by role within the family, not by physical construction. Technically, Master Hage is male." At a loss to further explain it better, Qui-Gon looked to Chan-Ji to continue.

"Scorps," began Chan-Ji, "do not consider gender important as we do. They do not distinguish male and female because it means little to them. Some bear the young, some do not. They are totally equal within their society. It's hard for us to understand. By our standards, Master Hage is 'male' in the fact he bears no young. Now do you understand?" Both padawans nodded.

"Ssh!" shushed Oolon eagerly as a door opened on the other side of the room. Yoda entered the room, followed by Mace Windu, who was looking excited himself at the presentation. Windu seated himself on the front row next to Council member Eeth Koth.

Obi-Wan's attention was diverted again to the door. A huge head pushed through the door, snake-like, with huge black eyes that bored it's way into the soul. The snake alien's body followed, thick and legless. No limbs were evident. It was like the master was a giant snake with a sleeveless tunic strapped to it.

Obi-Wan shuddered. He hated snakes with a passion. Qui-Gon suppressed the boy's immediate fear of the creature. Obi-Wan's phobia of snakes was something they were working on. He hadn't thought of this before, and now wished he had. Especially now.

The huge master looked around the room until his gaze rested upon Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. Both gulped. "The young one fearsss me, Yoda." The words were spoken slowly, lethargically, with a small tone of amusement.

Yoda turned to see whom the older master spoke of and frowned. "Apologies I give on his behalf. Young he still is."

"Phobiasss are hard to defeat, little masster. Bring him to me, if you pleassse? I would wish to make a friend of him, to show I am not the fearsssome beasst he ssseesss me to be." Hage's body curled once to negate amount of room he hoarded because of his size.

Yoda waddled over to the stands where Obi-Wan sat with Qui-Gon. "Come, Obi-Wan." Yoda gestured to the young apprentice, who looked at his master in banked fear. "Hurt you he will not. Speak with you, he wishes. Deny him you will not."

"Master?" Obi-Wan's voice was contricted from his fear and Qui-Gon gently placed his hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Go on. He's a Jedi, Obi-Wan, he will not harm you. I'll be up here and ready for trouble if any comes. Go on now." Qui-Gon felt a twinge as his padawan walked stiffly to Yoda.

Yoda took the boy's hand and patted it softly. "Bend down," ordered the small green troll. Obi-Wan obeyed. "Very old and wise he is. Scary he may look, but gentler being never will you find."

The words reassured Obi-Wan a little but not much. Yoda tugged him over to the giant snake. Obi-Wan was sure he would pass out.

The snake rose up and looked down at the padawan. His black gaze went out to the assembly. "I am ssorry, but my time iss resserved for today. Pleasse return tomorrow to thiss room and I will deliver the sspeech you are all eager to hear. I am honored by your interesst and willingnessss to lissten to an old Jedi'ss ramblingss." He paused, curling his tail toward Obi-Wan, as if pointing. "My people believe that teaching children comess before teaching adultss. Children are our future, our true wissdom and gift. I cannot leave a child with a fear of me, no matter how irrational. Fear iss real to he or she who feelss it. Allow me to help thiss child and then I will sspeak with you all, I promissse."

The disappointment was evident in the room and a few baleful looks were tossed in either Qui-Gon or Obi-Wan's direction, but both ignored them. Qui-Gon was worried. Had the master taken offense at Obi-Wan's fear of him? Obi-Wan had visibly shrunk away from the master's tail when it had moved his way.

As various people exited, Qui-Gon fought his way through to Mace Windu's side. "May I go with my padawan?" demanded Qui-Gon. The Council member looked disgruntled.

"I don't know, Qui-Gon," Mace said. "Ask him."

Qui-Gon swallowed and approached Yoda, Obi-Wan and Hage. Obi-Wan melted into Qui-Gon's side. Qui-Gon detached the boy from his arm and bowed low, keeping his gaze steady upon the older master. He repeated the gesture with Yoda.

"Master Hage, I am Master Qui-Gon Jinn. This is my apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi. He means no disrespect, Master, and we have been working on his phobia. As you no doubt know, sometimes it is slow going, but he shows improvement as time passes."

The tail rose, asking for silence. Qui-Gon stopped his speech, holding his breath, caught in the Scorp's gaze like the prey the ancient creature no doubt hunted in his youth.

"No dissresspect is persseived, Masster Jinn. Your loyalty and protective affection for your charge iss noted and appressciated. Children have fearss created early in their livess, but asss adultsss within our Order they are eradicated by our confidence in the Forsss. His confidensss has not been fully built-up and therefore he hass childhood fearss within hiss psssyche. Hiss fear iss of reptiless, mosst esspecially thoss without limbss." Hage gave a hissing chuckle.

"You say you wish to speak with him?" asked Qui-Gon.

"Yesss, I wish to tell him about mysself, and hear him sspeak of himsself." The master was suddenly concerned. "Iss thiss offenssive to him?"

Everyone looked at Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan looked at his master with wide blue eyes and took a deep breath, shaking his head. "If y-you w-want to speak with m-me, Master H-hage, then I will listen."

"Then bring Yoda and your mentor, little one, and we will sspeak openly and asss friendss." The aged master turned with a soft whispery sound on the tiled floor and squeezed through the door.

Yoda and Qui-Gon watched Obi-Wan as the boy gave into trembling for a moment. "Harm you he will not, Obi-Wan," Yoda said brusquely.

Obi-Wan nodded once and began to walk unsteadily to the door. Qui-Gon entered first, more as a protective gesture than anything else. Yoda followed Obi-Wan. Hage seemed amused by the display.

"Brave young apprentiss," praised Master Hage. He curled himself up, resting his diamond-shaped head on the curl. "Pleasse have a sseat and relakssss. I wish to tell you sstory to easse your fearss."

Obi-Wan sat down. Qui-Gon and Yoda found their own places and each settled down for a long coze. "Lissten to my sstory and do not interrupt it'ss winding path. It will make ssensse in the end."

The old master took a deep breath and began...

* * *

Just a young hatchling wass I when a Jedi knight found me. Not many of my rayss are Jedi, for we never leave our wondrouss world to ssee the ssightss beyond the sskiess. My egg-layer gave me permission to go if it wass my choossing. I did.  
Never had I sseen anything like Corussant. Even asss undeveloped asss it wass thosse yearss ago, it wass sstill impressssive to one who never had sseen a sssity. We live in coloniess beneath the ssoil, where it iss cool and protected from the harsh elementss of the variousss sseassonss.

I learned from the finesst Jedi of the day techniquess that I could usse, ssinss I could not weild the lightssaber weapon. Trickss of the mind became my sspecialty and I eksselled. A diplomat of great sstanding I became, hopping from planet to planet, helping thozss there with my unique insightss and undersstandingss.

I never believed I would be anything but a bringer of peacsse. Never did I want more.

One evening a Counssil member had a mission for me from a planet that I had not been to in many yearss, my own home. I wass nervouss, afraid of what I would find, how I would be resseived. I was the firsst to have left ass far ass anyone could remember.

My fear gripped me. I am afraid of nothing, sso confident am I in my abilitiess and my faith in the Forss. If it callss for my death, then I will go gladly. I consseived my people would demand me to sstay. I did not want to leave the Jedi.

I refussed, refussed each requesst that wass ssent. No other Jedi was aksseptable to the Sscorp. Only I would do.

I hated my people before I even came home, sso sure of what they would want wass I. Ssilly, wass it not? My people welcomed me warmly, ssurprizsing me. They assked one thing of me, thiss child of theirss that left ssso long ago.

To record the history and literaturess of the Sscorpss. You ssee, we were a dying rayss. With each passssing generation, the population faded away. There wass no war, no disseasse, no faminess. Our life essssenss jusst goezss away and with it our preciouss civiliszation.

They did not assk me to leave the Jedi, only to take what made the Sscorp, our whole sselvezss, to ssomeplace ssafe so that it would not die away asss well. With thiss request, ssimple in it'ss wording, but vasst in it's tassk, I ssaw my true path.

I had brought much peacsse to many worldss, but fear almosst made my people become eksstinct. An irrational phobia of rejection.

That iss what I do in my ssolitary planet. Many Jedi have wondered at how my time is sspent, little one, and now the three of you know for ssertain. I am ssaving my ssivilizssation. They continue to dwindle, but they live ass they alwayss have. They ssend me great workss of art and literature to draw, record and document sso that nothing will be losst.

Ssomehow, my life hass been eksstended. When there are no more Sscorp, it will be my lasst day in the galakssy. The Forsss hass told me I will be the lasst, but only when everything iss done, when all hazss been recorded sso that nothing iss losst.

I only hope it will take forever and that nothing iss losst.

* * *

The room fell silent as the three absorbed his tale. Obi-Wan shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "So what you're saying," the boy said slowly, hoping he was getting it right, "is that you were so afraid that your people wouldn't let you go back because you left that you almost didn't listen to their plea for help?"  
"And?" prompted the aged reptile with bright eyes.

"And if you had not, then their civilization would be lost forever."

Master Hage puffed up slightly in pride. "You are a clever young human, little Obi-Wan. I ssee great thingss for you. Do not feel ashamed of being afraid of me. Fear iss healthy, a natural ressponsse to danger. Heed it only, though, when it iss nessessssary. Irrational fearss can do you greater harm than a rational fear."

"Never knew I did, why you go away from us." Yoda voice was soft, controlled, but still saddened.

Hage turned to his old friend. "You were jusst a young Jedi then, my old friend. Recklessss in your wayss and determined to ssave the universs. At the time one planet would have meant little to you. I have obzserved a huge change in you over time." Hage's tail curled around Yoda's chair. "One day, you will ssee what I have done."

Qui-Gon looked at his apprentice. "Things will become clearer as you age, Obi-Wan. Things that seemed unimportant will gain great import, and things you thought tantamount to happiness will become very forgettable."

"Wissdom iss never wassted, no matter how ssilly it sseemss at the time. All knowledge comess in handy eventually." Hage unwrapped one length.

Obi-Wan stood up and walked carefully to the giant snake. "May I touch you?" he asked hesitantly.

Hage gave a soft laugh. "Mosst ssertainly." Obi-Wan reached out and touched the scales. They were not slimy or slippery like he had thought they would be. Though Hage's species were cold-blooded, a certain warmth suffused Obi-Wan's body when he touched the master.

The boy immediately relaxed. He stroked the scales and the master stretched a bit. "Itchy sspot," the master hissed in a sigh. "Rub ssome more." Obi-Wan complied.

Qui-Gon snickered while Yoda gave a huffing laugh that passed as a guffaw with his species. "Silly you both are," Yoda told the apprentice and the snake alien master.

"Yess, a pair we have become," agreed Hage. "I would assk you to dine, but you would find my choisse is fair disstassteful."

"May we anyway?" asked Obi-Wan shyly. "I'd like to hear more stories."

Everyone looked to Qui-Gon. He was, after all, the boy's guardian. Qui-Gon looked at Yoda's amused look, to Hage's inquiring one, to Obi-Wan's pleading blue eyes. He sighed.

"Of all the roads I have traveled, wise one, I can admit to have never eaten with a Scorp before. It would be an honor I would take great pleasure in. I told Obi-Wan he would learn something from you. It seems we both did."

* * *

Eight Years Later

Harken, John, my word  
let not these keys be lost  
the secrets lie within  
the writers of the past.

Obi-Wan looked up as Yoda entered the room with Qui-Gon hot on his heels. "Clumsy," chided Yoda as he peered at the deep cut on Obi-Wan's shoulder.

"Yes, Master Yoda, but I won the competition and that will have to do for now." Obi-Wan noted Qui-Gon's saddened countenance. "Something's happened?"

"Master Hage has gone to the Force, young padawan," Qui-Gon said quietly. Obi-Wan's face went ashen.

"His work was done. Many transcripts and things have we. Yaddle has much work to do." Yoda seemed amused.

Qui-Gon gave a wan smile. "She must have been ecstatic," he said drily.

"Fit to be tied, more like it," said Obi-Wan half-heartedly. "I wish I could hear one more story," the padawan said forlornly.

"Many stories did he have to tell, Obi-Wan," Yoda comforted. "Alive they will be only if you pass them along as he did to you."

"What do you mean?" Obi-Wan gave him a considering look.

"Greatest fear of his it was," Yoda said sagely, "that all be lost."

"What all? I thought he recorded everything that was needed?" Obi-Wan was confused.

"All but his own stories." Qui-Gon handed Obi-Wan a package. "He sent this to you. Probably recordings of his stories he'd told you. I would suggest you take cue from him and pass them on."

Obi-Wan took it and held it close, feeling the master even now. "I will. Not one word will be forgotten."

**Author's Note:**

> I've studied many cultures, especially those of the native people of the Americas, who had no written language. They remembered their history and culture through oral traditions, as did the ancient Celts and Gauls, and other native peoples in Africa and Australia. Oral tradition lends more emotion to a tale, gives it more depth than reading the words on a page and also relays the importance of the story, whether it be morality or just an amusing story of some great deed. Our greatest literary works were oral storytellings told in public squares or around some soldier campfie: the Illiad, the Odyssey, the story of White Buffalo Woman, the Bible.
> 
> I have long been a lover of storytelling. Even if read straight from a book, the vocal hearing of the story always seems to add so much more. I cannot comprehend Shakespeare if reading the book. On stage or in the motion pictures, Shakespeare's tales reach to me and touch me.
> 
> There is so much to learn from a storyteller. Many libraries have story-time or professional storytellers for children. Though I have not done it in years, I loved listening to them, even if the stories were modern. A good storyteller can do wonders for one's spirit.
> 
> With every story that you read, remember that you read something of someone's heart, soul, mind and emotions. Read them outloud, as I recommend with this story, especially since Master Hage's words are easier to follow that way. I had to make words look differently to get the sound. I never realized how many times the letter "s" is used!
> 
> I also suggest three things:  
1) Find a local storyteller, whether they be at your local library, at a festival or heritage day or just someone traveling through. Listen to the story they tell. You'll come away different, in some fashion or form. You may not like it, but you will most definitely learn from it.  
2) Find that poem or play you absolutely dreaded reading in literature class in school. Read it outloud. You'll find that you understand it far better outloud than reading silently. I did that with Chaucer's Canterbury Tales and am now a lover of the book.  
3) If none of these appeal to you, find a creation tale from some people, like a Native American tribe or perhaps the Africans, and read it outloud. You will see why only through oral tradition did these come alive and be remembered, to be passed on until someone put them in written form. They are all over the Internet and are commonplace at bookstores and libraries. You don't have to buy one or check it out. Just read it there! Some of these are more than just a few centuries old. Some are thousands of years old, with no sure time of their beginnings. For one story, that's one heck of a long life and a sure way that nothing will be lost or forgotten.
> 
> LET NOTHING BE LOST OR FORGOTTEN AS LONG AS WE HAVE THE ABILITY OF SPEECH AND THE COURAGE TO LISTEN.


End file.
